Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday (17 April) had a heated argument with the state police who he has accused of harassing a Daman-based Remdesivir supplier.
While speaking to the reporters, Fadnavis said, “Four days ago, we had requested Bruck Pharma to supply a stock of Remdesivir vials to Maharashtra. They said they couldn’t until permissions were given. I spoke with Union Minister Mansukh Mandviya and got Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s permission. Tonight around 9 pm, the police arrested him.”
In a written statement, Fadnavis said it was “our sincere attempt to get remdesivar for Maharashtra. And accordingly we were all trying when suddenly Bruck Farma official was detained by Mumbai police.”
Maharashtra Ex CM @Dev_Fadnavis ji taking serious class of Extortion officers who r blackmailing PharmaCompanies by pickingup owners putting undue pressure
Where has #MahaVasooliAaghadi taken our state today?
Its sad to see @MumbaiPolice is being used for all such activities! pic.twitter.com/SnJ7fylaFM
— Devang Dave (@DevangVDave) April 17, 2021
Fadnavis then went on excoriate Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Manjunath Singh who told that they had inputs that some exporters had 60,000 vials and they only wanted to verify the same.
He said, “We showed the police the permission letter. He (DCP) said it wasn’t communicated to them earlier” and whatever happened was wrong.
The DCP who was being questioned for his act denied the allegations of arresting the distributor and said that the Remdesivir supplier and he was just summoned for an inquiry because of black marketing of the antiviral medication.
DCP Manjunath Singh told reporters, “There’s a shortage of Remdesvir in the state and black marketing is rampant. We had got information about this storage facility. Acting in good faith, we only wanted to verify the inputs. He (supplier) was called for an inquiry, it wasn’t an arrest.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is in opposition in Maharastra had sent a delegation to talk to the producers of remdesivar. Fadnavis said, “Four days ago our leaders Pravin Darekar and Prasad Lal had gone to Daman to Bruck Pharma and requested them to supply the drug to Maharashtra. They obliged but said they did not have the license. Then I spoke to Mansukh Mandaviya( minister of state I/c of ports, shipping and waterways) and got them the license,”.
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